Overall winner:

Adult commended:

Orang-utan Contemplating Invertebrate Life by Dr Susan M Cheyne: 'As part of an ongoing ape behavioural research and conservation project, I was following this wild adult male who was starting to develop cheek pads. As he moved towards a tree in fruit, a dragonfly flew past at eye level; he paused to watch its flight before slowly moving on'

Adult, commended:

Deadly Love by Michael Hin: 'A male garden spider (Araneus diadematus) approaches a female in an attempt to mate with her. His attempt was unsuccessful, she killed him shortly after this and wrapped him in silk'

Student category, commended:

A Different Nature #7 by Judith Lyons: 'Through the action of light, the photographic process reveals the delicate beauty of the flower's internal structure. It makes visible that which would normally remain hidden and offers an opportunity for exploring and investigating the natural world'

Student category, commended:

Eat And Be Eaten by Bastiaan Brak: 'I had allowed aphids to establish on a Clematis plant in my garden in order to observe the behaviour of ants towards aphids (and ladybirds). Instead, one Sunday afternoon my eye caught this hoverfly larvae feasting on the aphids, something I had never seen before. I was glad I had not pulled out the insecticide to begin with'

Student category, winner:

Embrace by Magdalena Nieduzak: 'To take this picture I didn't have to look far away. I found a group of moss in my garden back at home. It had been snowing for the whole night, so I decided to take my camera and go out for photos as soon as I woke up to take advantage of the fresh, untouched snow. I really like this photo, as the twigs of moss seem to be embracing, as if they were trying to get warm'

Young person category (12-18 years), commended:

Beauty From The Beast (Southern Hawker, Aeshna Cyanea) by Sam Baylis: 'How can something so beautiful come from such an ugly nymph? Nature is full of surprises! I watched this one emerge and rest on its ugly larval case to dry out its wings, hence the picture's title of beauty from the beast'

Young person category, commended:

Urban Mother by Katya Schouvaloff: 'I was on a cycle ride with my family when I spotted this swan sitting on her nest. Her nest was beautifully constructed out of bits of rubbish. Suddenly she stood up and revealed seven pale blue eggs. It was amazing!'

Young person category, winner:

Amazon Frog by Alastair Macfarlane: 'On a five week expedition to the Peruvian Amazon, I encountered this tree frog traversing a branch next to the riverbank. Upon inspection, it exhibits some wonderful features of Darwinian evolution, and is aptly adapted to its hostile and precarious environment'

Junior young person category (7-11 years), commended:

Junior young person category, winner:

The Survival of the Fittest by Takeo Broadhurst: 'I was coming back from school when I spotted this amazing moment of the wasp trapped in the spider's web and slowly being devoured. It just shows Darwin's theory about "the survival of the fittest" is true and all creatures must be "fit" to survive'

Junior young person category, commended:

Bee Meets His Maker by Tim Protheroe: 'A white crab spider (Thomisus spectabilis) sucking the juices out of an unfortunate bumblebee (Bombus terrestris). This may seem odd because the spider is white and the lavender is purple but the bee can only see in ultraviolet and from the bees eyes the spider is perfectly camouflaged'
Darwin Photographic Competition Winners Exhibition is at the Horniman Museum, London, from 20 November 2009 to 11 April 2010